IAAF World Athletics Championships 2017: Wayde van Niekerk, Nijel Amos, Evan Jager in action on Day 5

It is time to see if South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk lives upto all the pre-tournament hype. The defending world and Olympic champion and world record holder, faces a loaded field that is sure to test him to the limit in the men’s 400 metres final scheduled for Day 5 of the IAAF World Athletics Championships. Among other athletes, Niekerk will be up against Botswana’s Isaac Makwala who along with him was trying to go for the 200/400 metres double last achieved in 1995 by Michael Johnson but withdrew from the 200 metres heat. [caption id=“attachment_3907017” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Wayde van Niekerk(L), Lyu Huihui, Evan Jager (R). AP[/caption] With David Rudisha’s withdrawal from the men’s 800 metres in this tournament, the field is wide open for the other athletes like Poland’s Adam Kszczot and Botswana’s Nijel Amos to earn their place under the spotlight. In the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase, all eyes will be on USA’s Evan Jager to see if he can break the Kenyan domination. It wouldn’t be an easy endeavour with Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto and Ezekiel Kemboi in the fray. In the other gold medal events of the day, Lyu Huihui may win China their first Gold medal of the tournament in the women’s javelin throw, while world record holder Renauld Lavillenie will be unburdened by expectations as he takes to the field in the men’s pole vault. Here is the full schedule for Day 5: Evening session 23:50 - Women’s javelin final 00:00 (9 August) - Women’s 200m first round 00:05 (9 August) - Men’s pole vault final 01:05 (9 August) - Women’s 400m hurdles semi-finals 01:10 (9 August) - Women’s shot put qualifying 01:40 (9 August) - Men’s 3,000m steeplechase final 02:05 (9 August) - Men’s 800m final 02:22 (9 August) - Men’s 400m final